asphyxia

i can't force ratings but i hope it gets boosted since the mortal arc is such a breath of fresh air

he is the one who's been safeguarding her ever since she arrived in the mortal realm, and since she calls him master and is indebted to him, it's quite normal for them to be close even if it's one-sided love

at the moment, zhixi is in the heavenly realm in despair over the loss of yan dan, but the story focuses on the mortal realm. i do like her character redemption and wish to see her as well, but yu mo is someone who is willing to protect yandan even if she doesn't remember him. in my opinion, the actor does very well in showing sorrow masked behind a kind face. other characters will get more screen time later, but since yumo is technically yandan's savior who's been safeguarding her this whole time, he will have more in these few episodes. yandan was the one who guided yumo and accompanied him every day in the heavenly realm, and since he loves her, he is willing to risk his life to help her. to me it seems like repaying favors in the name of love, but it is understandable if anyone views him as annoying or obsessive

1) both directors are well-known for their xianxia works, but you must know that the novels are not written by them. i don't find the stories similar since the stoic x playful trope is always a fan favorite, not a copy paste. the only thing similar is the concept of reincarnation and the martial arts atmosphere, which is key to many wuxia dramas.
2) the male lead will get more screen time later on as the mortal world becomes more perilous, and yu mo's screen time is relevant to the plot because his feelings for yan dan guide many of his decisions. about ashes of love, one thing the shows share in common is that the second male lead does anything for the female lead, however runyu from aol was deranged while yumo from immortal samsara purely wishes for yandan to live a nice life. it's normal for you to not feel chemistry between ym and yd because yandan clearly doesn't understand love during the mortal realm arc (mentioned upon her arrival). it's quite refreshing to have a second female/male lead who isn't overly obsessive and has genuine intentions. it's up to the audience to support which male lead, even if we know who's endgame.
3) slow burn works in slice of life, but even more in fantasy series because they live eternally and can reincarnate (thousands if not millions of years). many xianxia dramas must include angst to captivate an audience, if they rushed the love between yingyuan and yandan, then the story would be much less meaningful. in the heavens where love is seen as a crime, catching feelings obviously wouldn't happen quickly if it's considered unlawful. in the mortal realm, yd is carefree and is yet to understand the depth of love, while tz isn't allowed to love. these hindrances are what allow the small interactions to make the audience go crazy and engage in the story. AOL and TMOPB both had around sixty ish episodes, and both had mortal arcs right in the middle of the story, so in comparison, their paces are quite similar to this show.

overall, little details about a show will never be liked by all, it is quite normal to have a few pet peeves about a show. people have preferences in terms of pace and chemistry, so any criticism is justified. i do not believe any show is flawless, but i will defend this show in particular because this is the first time in while havent dropped a show after the first episode. im waiting for new episodes so i typed this long essay to fill time, no need to fully read. i just love this show to death so i wanted to share my thoughts ^-^

is it bad i want to pluck the toenails of those who have the show any less than an 8? if less than 6, maybe they should consider going back to their mother’s womb <3

it even dropped to 8.2 ;( yea hoping that it will change for the better but was a bit shocked the score wasn't above 8.5 but mainly bc of my bias towards the cast

i can’t believe the current rating’s an 8.4, the recent episodes are perfectly heartbreakung

these types of shows emphasize on pain and suffering before going back to a lighthearted mood lol

it actually isn’t 80 episodes anymore and was cut to less than 60

he had no ill well to css but only intended to show up as a couple because after engagement, couples traditionally arrive at events together. i think css personally knew it would be impolite to not attend.

suspicious

lmao the show starting w them being loving sisters was def misleading cause she turned on her in less than 10 eps

SHE jumps HE follows as in yandan and yingyuan (main couple)